Rudder Lubrication
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9751
Printed Date: April-28-2024 at 2:20pm
Topic: Rudder Lubrication
Posted By: eklock
Subject: Rudder Lubrication
Date Posted: February-29-2008 at 11:54pm
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I recently took a ride in my friend's '97 SN and was amazed at how easy the steering wheel turned. Under load in a hard turn I could easily steer with one finger. I own a very well-maitained '91 SN with less than 300 hours on the meter; my boat has never steered as easily as Ed's '97. Ed is a machinist by trade and always thinking of ways to improve things mechanically. I asked if he had devised some sort of power steering unit for his boat. He just smiled and described to me his remote rudder lubrication system.
From C3600 brass Ed has fabricated a ¼-28 NPT to ¼" Compression fitting to replace the "zerk" fitting on his rudder stuffing box. The compression fitting is used to route ¼" heavy-wall tubing to a thru-hull fitting which he made to accept a zerk fitting. This thru-hull fitting is located beneath the swim step. He lubes his rudder before each outing. My eyebrows went up as I mentioned to him that the owner's manual does not mention such frequent lubing of the rudder shaft. He then proceeded to explain that a good bearing surface requires one metal to be harder than the other. Since both the stuffing box and rudder shaft are bronze they require more lubrication to prevent premature wear and galling. He went on to explain that CC uses a longer tiller arm than other manufactures. The longer arm provides more leverage thereby masking excess friction on the rudder shaft. "Regardless of the long tiller" he went on to explain, "sooner or later you'll have a stiffer turning wheel and excessive wear on your rudder shaft". I asked him if his kit could be installed on boats other than Nautiques. "Of course" he said. His first boat was an American Skier which did not have a zerk fitting on the stuffing box. In the beginning he would drop the rudder to lubricate it but soon tired of the chore in disassembly. That's when the idea of mounting a zerk fitting outside the boat. "I don't like bringing a grease gun on board if I don't have to." "Drilling the stuffing box to accept a brass fitting is easy" he said. Ed has about 100 of the ¼-28/¼ Comp fittings and 80 or so of the special thru-hull fittings. Why so many? "Well, it's just as easy to make a hundred as it it to make one". "The time is in the set-up". I asked him if he had ever tried selling these things and he said that he sold a few to friends and club members. Ed is considering making them available to the boating public; but does not have any way to gauge their demand. Does anyone here have any interest in such a device? |
Replies:
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: March-01-2008 at 11:17am
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most of the guy's on the site who have a hard steer usually find out its the cable. Ive been on some pretty big boats to find no zurk fittings at the rudders and when i remove the rudders i never see much wear between the two similar metals....check your cable ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: March-01-2008 at 11:57pm
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Eric, Eric has seen probably more rudder shafts and ports than I have but I too have never seen much wear on ether. Your friend Ed sounds like a capable guy but he may be missing the fact that the rudder and the port are two different alloys and two different hardness's. Remote lube points sure make things easy but have been around for a long time on lots of equipment. The parts needed are available at the hardware store or supply house including the bulk head fitting that you mentioned to as special. It's my opinion that it's overkill to install the remote point. Check your cable as Eric has mentioned. If it is your rudder shaft that is binding then it's the packing that may be dried out. Repack and grease it. I put a new bottom on my wood X55 27 years ago and at that time had the rudder and port out of the boat. I didn't repack but did throw some grease it it and tighten up the packing. I haven't touched it since. It doesn't have a Zurk on it.
Bulkhead fitting:  ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: March-02-2008 at 12:08am
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I'm curious about the cable,guy's .Can an end be taken off letting you pull out the inner cable to clean and lubercate? ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: boat dr
Date Posted: March-02-2008 at 12:59am
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no................. ------------- boat dr /diaries/details.asp?ID=4631 - 1949 Dart /diaries/details.asp?ID=1533 - 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: eklock
Date Posted: March-02-2008 at 3:19pm
| I thought my boat steered fine until I drove Ed's. Ed designed and made his own dripless shaft seal as well but I guess his rudder lube idea is overkill. Oh well, thanks for the feedback anyway. |
Posted By: moses
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 1:00am
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does anybody out there in cc land know if my 76 tique should have a grease fitting on it ? thanks jl moses ------------- james m |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 7:52am
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James, I would say no. My 77 doesn't. I don't think it was untill the early 90's when the Zurks were added. Do you have a problem?
Welcome to posting. Have you been around much? Some have been but don't post. (like Charlie!!) Fill us in on your Tique. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 1:08pm
Ive yet to see a Nautique with a factory zurk on the rudder port, though Ive been told they do exist. Neither my '90 nor '78 have them, and I dont think my dad's '03 does either. ------------- |
8122pbrainard wrote:Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 1:51pm
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My '03 Malibu has 2 zerks. I've been told to barely give them any grease. If you load them right up, the steering actually gets stiffer. ------------- |
Posted By: boat dr
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 1:59pm
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It is called "hydraulic lock" this is the reason "zerks" were removed from steering cables a number of years ago.
The mindset of most is if a little is good, a whole lot is even better. ------------- boat dr /diaries/details.asp?ID=4631 - 1949 Dart /diaries/details.asp?ID=1533 - 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 3:07pm
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Tim,
The 206 has one, it is actually a "remote" Zurk located in the trunk near the Faria computer board. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 3:26pm
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Qunnier, what does it say in the OM on how often to grease it? ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 4:50pm
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Checked the manual, apparently the remote lube point is an option, did not find anything in regards to when the rudder should be lubricated only "use a quality Marine grease, apply a light pressure to the gun until you feel a slight resistance"
------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: Darrel
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 11:21pm
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eklock, does "Ed" ski at Naci in central Cal? If so...that is the same guy i got my rudder lube fittings from. It works much better since install on my 95SN. My 93 had a zerk on the rudder port from the factory, just hard to reach.
I grease mine maybe 3 times a year. ------------- I'd rather have a drink on the rocks in the boat than have a boat on the rocks in the drink. Been there, done that, no bueno. |
Posted By: eklock
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 11:26pm
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Darrel-
Yes, that's the Ed from Naci. He's been coaching me on the course for about a year now. |
Posted By: Darrel
Date Posted: March-03-2008 at 11:35pm
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You got a good coach! Nice to hear he has upgraded from his old Amer. Skier. ------------- I'd rather have a drink on the rocks in the boat than have a boat on the rocks in the drink. Been there, done that, no bueno. |
Posted By: moses
Date Posted: March-04-2008 at 12:10am
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thanks for the reply boys, i'm not having a problem, but i'm such a newwbie that i thought i better ask before i put her in for the first time and she goes to the bottom with the whole family and neighborhood watching daddy whose supposed to know it all. this site is great , you all have been a big help with the info.our tique is in the diaries, the 14 year project that is just about ready to go in. my wife already told the boys that the boats gonna pull their arms off, so they are getting excited as it gets glassy down here in ocean city, only problem is i can't find my wet suit i put away 14 yrs. ago with the boat. ------------- james m |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: March-04-2008 at 10:15am
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Moses, if you put it away 14 years ago, dont even look for it, it aint gonna fit anyways ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: Grandpa Ripper
Date Posted: June-01-2022 at 6:45pm
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Old topic, but I am cleaning up some neglected areas in my 1992 SN and wanted to lube the rudder. Background: I had a rudder zerk on my 1984 Mastercraft. The consensus was that if it was not lubed often enough, the constant prop torque on one side of it would oval the shaft and result in sort of a catching or jerking occasionally. One cheap solution suggested for this was to remove the bushing from the hull, rotate it 90 degrees, seal it well, and reinstall. I did that and it helped with the smoothness and the annual lube made me feel better. My '92 does not have a zerk. I would like to install one, but would feel better to pull the rudder first, drill, tap, zerk, clean, then lube the insides before reinstallation. Not sure what repacking means... ------------- "If you are thinking like everyone else is thinking, you are not thinking." |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: June-02-2022 at 5:16am
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Did your Mastercraft have a rudder port with nylon seals, o rings etc instead of packing to keep water from getting into the boat? Repacking would be replacing the flax type packing rings in the gland nut at the top of the rudder port with some new stuff
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Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: June-02-2022 at 1:05pm
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My '92 came with a zerk fitting. I believe it is on the starboard side of the rudder housing. Are there any plugs on the housing? ------------- 92 SN - Owned since 93 99 Pro Air 89 SN - Went to live on a lake in Texas 75 Donzi 16 - Sold in 93 |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: June-02-2022 at 1:15pm
| Did you buy it new? |